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Achyranthes splendens

Mart. ex Moq. (1849)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-CoreEudicot Order: Caryophyllales Family: Amaranthaceae Genus: Achyranthes

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrubs 0.5–2 m tall.

Stems: Stems erect to decumbent.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades obovate to broadly elliptic or suborbicular, 2–12 cm long, 1.5–7.3 cm wide. Surfaces densely white strigose, epidermis usually obscured, especially on the lower surface, the hairs sometimes spreading, 0.5–1.5 mm long. Margins usually entire or nearly so. Petiolate. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in spikes congested, 3–25 cm long, the rachis densely white pubescent or tomentose, 1.5–2.5(–3) mm in diameter, the hairs spreading to appressed, 0.5–2 mm long. peduncles 0.6–3.4 cm long. sepals subtended by a lanceolate, spine–tipped bract 3–6 mm long, bracteoles 3.5–5.3 mm long, spine–tipped. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx of 5 sepals, sepals subequal, 6.5–10.5 mm long apex acute. Corolla (petals) absent. Stamens 2–5, connate at base; anthers dithecal. Ovary superior; ovule 1; style slender; stigma capitate.

Fruit: Utricles 1.5–3 mm long. Seeds 1 per fruit; the surface usually lustrous; endosperm essentially absent.

Ploidy: 2n = 76*; 78*

Habitat: Scattered in low elevation; open; dry forest remnants and open thickets; on talus or rocky slopes; and on coralline plains.

Elevation Range: 0–30(–500) m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

PROPAGATION/CULTIVATION

  • Each tiny dry fruit contains 1 seed. Air dry the fruit at room temperature in a bowl or paper bag. Carefully rub the fruits through a strainer with the appropriate size mesh. The seeds should fall through leaving the debris in the strainer.
  • NTBG (Lilleeng-Rosenberger 1996) had success using a medium consisting of 3 parts perlite to 1 part Sunshine Mix #4. Seeds in this batch began germinating in 5 days.
  • NTBG (Ragone 1993) found high percentages of non-viable seeds in some batches; the embryos in these seeds had aborted or were missing. With viable seeds, NTBG (Lilleeng-Rosenberger 1996) reports 90% germination rate with fresh untreated seed. Obata found that untreated seeds of Achyranthes splendens had a germination rate ranging from 30 to 75%. (Lilleeng-Rosenberger 1996; Lilleng-Rosenberger 1998; Obata 1967; Ragone 1993; Wagner 1990)
  • Mew advises that Achyranthes splendens grows easily from cuttings using a rooting hormone and automatic mist system. Waimea Arboretum recommends selecting cutting material from short side branches and rooring the cuttings in a well drained medium such as sand. (Anonymous 1986; Mew 1987) [Data from Herring, E. C., & Criley, R. A. (2003). The Hawaiian Native Plant Propagation Web Site: Developing a Webbased Information Resource. HortTechnology, 13(3), 545-548. https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/hawnprop/]

Natural History

Statewide Status

Endemic

Island Status

Kaua'i Only found in cultivation
O'ahu Endemic
Molokai Endemic
Lana'i Endemic
Maui Endemic

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Specimens

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Bibliography

Name Published In: A.P.de Candolle, Prodr. 13(2): 316 (1849)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Achyranthes splendens west Maui, Lahaina District, Launiupoko Valley Vegetation: Diospyros, Aleurites, Psidium, Psychotria, Psydrax, Dodonaea, Ipomoea, Peperomia, Oplismenus. Preserved_Specimen Occasional shrubs Oppenheimer, H.L. 81602 Maui BISH 2016-08-09
2 Achyranthes splendens west Maui, Lahaina District, Olowalu Valley, west side of stream. in shrubby area below pali, above Dispyros Forest. Vegetation: Diospyros, Nestegis, Dodonaea, Psydrax, Senna, Santalum, Euphorbia, Bidens, Osteomeles, Syzygium, Lantana, Ipomoea, Passiflora, Nephrolepis, Schinus, Psidium, Schiedea, Melinis, Microlepia. Preserved_Specimen Aboput 12 plants observed. Oppenheimer, H.L. 61323 Maui BISH 2013-06-28
3 Achyranthes splendens West Maui, Lahaina District, Launiupoko Valley, south side of stream. on open rocky sites just above stream bed, downstream of small waterfall. Vegetation: Diospyros, Metrosideros, Nestegis, Reynoldsia, Psydrax, Psychotria, Kadua, Melia, Psidium, Antidemsa, Aleurites, Cordyline, Dodonaea, Santalum, Leptecophylla, Coprosma, Artemisia, Bidens, Carex, Oplismenus, Microlepia, Nephrolepis, Passiflora, Ipomoea, Lantana, Carex, Schiedea, Cocculus. Preserved_Specimen About 20 plants, 1.75m tall, many branched, mostly mature but a few juveniles. Oppenheimer, H.L. 81002 Maui BISH 2010-08-24
4 Achyranthes splendens West Maui, Lahaina District, Kaua`ula Stream, south side. Common on cliffs. Vegetation: Diospyros, Nestegis, Metorsideros, Dodonaea, Coffea, Aleurites, Psidium, Psilotum, Peperomia, Artemisia, Bidens. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 81207 Maui BISH 2012-08-08
5 Achyranthes splendens West Maui, Wailuku District, south of Pu'u Hona. Vegetation: Dodonaea, Wikstroemia, Bidens, Lipochaeta, Myoporum, Osteomeles, Doryopteris, Heteropogon, Eragrostis, Waltheria, Sida, Leucaena, Casuarina, Cenchrus. Preserved_Specimen Local, shrubs to 2m tall on steep, rocky slopes. About 30 mature plants observed, with additional seedlings. Oppenheimer, H.L. 72102 Maui BISH 2021-07-06
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